Fantasy Football Addict’s Select XI (GW-10)

As we approach the 10th gameweek of the season, we’re well and truly into the swing of things. With Chelsea and City propping up the top of the table, some things have gone to plan whilst there have also been some surprises in the form of Southampton who have shocked everyone. If what has happened so far is anything to go by, we’re in for another amazing fantasy season full of thrills and spills.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Saturday’s early kick-off sees Newcastle take on Liverpool where they’ll be looking to continue their recent revival. Eyes will also be on Balotelli after he broke his scoring duck in the League Cup, it’ll be a big weight off his mind and the Newcastle defence will have to be wary of a possibly rejuvenated frontman.

With Champions League fixtures next week, we’ve got a busy Saturday afternoon with Arsenal hosting Burnley and Chelsea taking on QPR. With Sanchez (10.4m) beginning to flourish, we’ll be watching him closely to see if he can continue to deliver for his pricetag. Welbeck (7.4m) will also be on our radar to see if he can justify a position in our squad despite his budget price. With various strikers in fine form, we can hardly waste a spot on someone who’s misfiring. As Chelsea battle QPR, all eyes will be on Costa (10.8m) to see how many minutes he gets on his return from injury and to see if there is another viable alternative to cover Chelsea’s attack.

The game we’re all most looking forward to though is the Manchester derby, which takes place on Sunday at 1.30pm. The atmosphere will be incredible and this will surely charge both teams up for a real spectacle. It’ll be interesting to see how City cope without their talisman Silva and his absence is sure to weaken their performance. On the other hand, Rooney is hoping to be fit so he can take part in the fixture and Van Gaal has some decisions to make with many players reaching full fitness.

If you’re new to Fantasy Football Addict, this is our weekly segment where we choose 11 players in a valid formation to enter our Fantasy Football Addict Select XI for the upcoming gameweek. We look into the fixtures and form to see which players are most likely to score high.

So without further ado, here is our selection for the 10th gameweek of the season:

Goalkeeper

Hugo LLORIS [AVL(A), 5.7m] – Although, Spurs are still trying to find their form this season under Pochettino, they face Aston Villa next who are on a worrying slide of form. Villa have lost their last 5 games and have failed to score a single goal in this time. Up against Lloris, Spurs have a fine keeper who will be hard to beat and there’s every chance that he could pick up a clean sheet against Villa.

Defenders

Gary CAHILL [QPR(H), 6.4m] – Chelsea have only conceded 3 goals in their last 5 games and are looking very impressive as they march on from the top of the table. With Costa declared fit, we’re expecting a comfortable victory for Chelsea as their attack lightens the load at the back. Cahill was also set for bonus points against United before the last minute equaliser from RVP to signal his ability to perform well statistically.

Calum CHAMBERS [BUR(H), 4.6m] – With Debuchy still sidelined, Chambers continues to offer Arsenal defensive coverage at a budget price. It’s fair to say Arsenal haven’t been greatest at the back but more than the same can be said for Burnley’s attack. With Arsenal likely to dominate possession a Burnley goal would be a rare sight to behold.

Leighton BAINES [SWA(H), 7.2m] – Baines continued his fine attacking form with a great assist for Eto’o last week and were it not for a misplaced Lukaku pass, he would’ve also picked up a clean sheet. It will be a tricky match against Swansea but if Everton start quickly, they have the ability to secure another home win for their fans.

Midfielders

Erik LAMELA [AVL(A), 7.8m] – Despite a falling pricetag, we’re taking a gamble on Lamela as he faces up to struggling Villa this weekend. He came on in midweek to help turn the game around with a goal and clearly has the potential to punish the opposition. Whether he does so is another matter but Lamela could very well build on his cup performance at Villa Park.

Alexis SANCHEZ (C) [BUR(H), 10.4m] – Sanchez may have been lucky with how the chances fell to him against Sunderland but he didn’t blink twice as he tucked them away with ease. Given the opportunity to run in behind defences like Walcott has done in the past, Sanchez is likely to get more chances and there is nothing quite like a goalscoring midfielder. With 29 points in his last 2 gameweeks he’s beginning to justify his pricetag.

Eden HAZARD [QPR(H), 9.9m] – Another midfielder who has that ability but has struggled to return points is Hazard. He showed a wonderful bit of skill to create a 1-on-1 chance against De Gea only to miss at the vital moment. Everyone seems to be waiting for that special performance that gives him the confidence to turn into a real fantasy asset and it may come against QPR.

Chris BRUNT [LEI(A), 5.4m] – With Berahino grabbing all the attention, Brunt seems to have slipped under the radar but it’s fair to say he’s in a fine fun of form. With 4 assists in his last 5, he’s been pivotal to West Brom’s turnaround after a shaky start to the season. The Baggies travel to Leicester next who have kept only one clean sheet all season.

Strikers

Graziano PELLE [HUL(A), 8.3m] – Pelle is in incredible form at the moment, leading the line expertly for the Saints. His league form transferred to the League Cup this week when he helped Southampton knock out Stoke with a brace. Hull will have to pay very close attention to the Italian who must be absolutely full of confidence everytime he steps onto a pitch.

Sergio AGUERO [MUN(H), 12.6m] – Aguero drew a blank against West Ham but it wasn’t from a lack of trying; numerous chances fell his way and he was unlucky to see one effort crack off the crossbar. His potential is likely to drop with Silva out of the side but you can never really count Aguero out when he’s fit purely because of his quality as a striker.

Samuel ETO’O [SWA(H), 5.4m] – For our final selection, we’ve gone for the old man that is Samuel Eto’o. He rolled back the years against Burnley to prove the quality is still there with a fine brace and should be in line for a second start against Swansea. He’s taken on the task of mentoring Lukaku and the Belgian could do a lot worse than to take notes from the experienced striker who’s done it all.